Automatic image replacement and rebuilding system and method thereof

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an automatic image replacement and rebuilding system and method thereof, using the image processing techniques to analyze the shading value and direction of the surface material, so as to replace other materials with different color and grain, and rebuild the image.

2. Description of the Related Art

In conventional methods, we have to make another object using the other surface material actually when we want to replace the object-image in one picture. However, if there are several choices for designers to consider, they have to make several objects corresponding to several surface materials, respectively. Therefore, the whole design procedure will waste time and waste resources.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic image replacement and rebuilding system and method thereof, using image processing techniques to analyze the shading value and direction of the surface material, so that designers don't have to make objects actually. Moreover, the design time will be shortened, and reduce the resources wasted.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an automatic image replacement and rebuilding system, comprising: an input module for inputting external image data; a processing module coupled to the input module, that receives the image data, analyzes the shading value and the direction of the sample object in the image data, and outputs an access signal and an output signal; a storage module coupled to the processing module to receive the access signal, that stores or reads out a replaced-image; and an output module coupled to the processing module to receive the output signal, and outputs new image data.

In addition, the present invention also provides an automatic image replacement and rebuilding method, which is suitable to a system with a processing module and a storage module, by analyzing the shading value and the direction of the image of the sample object having a white background and dark grid characteristics, so that said image can be replaced and rebuilt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The aforementioned objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure of the system according to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a process procedure of an automatic cloth select and design system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIG. 1, an automatic image replacement and rebuilding system, comprising an input module M<b>1</b> for inputting external image data, and they are scanners, pc cameras, and digital cameras <b>1</b> in existing systems.

A processing module M<b>2</b>, is a computer processing unit, coupled to the input module M<b>1</b> to receive the image data ImgData, analyzing the shading value and the direction of the sample object in the image data, and output an access signal ACS and an output signal OPS.

A storage module M<b>3</b>, is a database system <b>2</b>, coupled to the processing module M<b>2</b> to receive the access signal ACS, and to store or read out the replaced-image RPImg.

And an output module M<b>4</b>, coupled to the processing module M<b>2</b> to receive the output signal OPS, and outputs the new image data, and they are monitors, printers, and graphers <b>3</b> in existing systems.

First, one surface material having a white background and dark grid characteristics is used to made a sample object, and to shoot this sample object to be a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image data ImgData, and input to the system via the input module M<b>1</b>.

Then, the processing module M<b>2</b> analyzed the color of the image data ImgData, and used a simple filter technique of image processing to filter the dark color of the grid, as a result a white background and filtered image is obtained. Then, by comparing the image data ImgData with the filtered image, the position and the direction of the grid in image data ImgData is marked. On the other hand, a simple gray technique for image processing may be used to transform the image data ImgData into a gray image.

Then, by subtracting the difference of the brightness caused by the dark color of the grid at the position in image data ImgData from the gray image, we can get the shading value of the sample object. In addition, the processing module M<b>2</b> outputs an access signal ACS to the storage module M<b>3</b> according to the choice of the designer (not shown in FIG. <b>1</b>), and the storage module M<b>3</b> reads out a replaced-image RPImg to prepare for replacement. Then, the intersection points of all lines are marked according to the position and the direction of the dark grid in image data ImgData.

Then, defining virtual grid points in this replaced-image RPImg, and comparing the virtual grid points in this replaced-image RPImg with the intersection points in image data ImgData, and the corresponding relation is performed.

Then, applying the affine transform of graph theory in said corresponding relation, so that the replaced-image RPImg is skewed in the same direction as image data ImgData, and applies the shading value in this skewed image of replaced-image RPImg.

When all of the blocks of the sample object are replaced in the same method, the image replacing and rebuilding process is finished. At the same time, the Processing module M<b>2</b> outputs an output signal OPS to the output module M<b>4</b>, and the output module M<b>4</b> outputs the new image.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a process procedure of an automatic cloth select and design system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the part of inputting the image data to the system and the part of outputting a new image are omitted, and this embodiment is based on one cloth having a white background and blue grid characteristics.

In FIG. 2, “A” represents a block that analyzing the shading value according to the basic characteristics of the sample cloth in the system, “B” represents a block that analyzes the direction according to the basic characteristics of the sample cloth in the system, and “C” represents a block that replaces the image according to above shading value and direction in the system.

First, in step S<b>01</b>, the cloth having a white background and blue grid characteristics is utilized to make a sample clothes, and to shoot the sample clothes into a two-dimensional image OriImg.

Then, in step S<b>02</b>, analyzing the color of the OriImg, and a using simple filter technique of image processing to filter the blue color of the grid, as a result a white background and filtered image LeaImg is obtained. Then, in step S<b>03</b>, by comparing OriImg with LeaImg, the position and the direction of the grid in OriImg is marked. On the other hand, as in step S<b>04</b>, using a simple gray technique for image processing will transform OriImg into a gray image GraImg.

Then, in step S<b>05</b>, by subtracting the difference of the brightness caused by the blue color of the grid at the position in OriImg from GraImg, we can get the shading value SV of the sample clothes. Then, in step S<b>06</b>, the intersection points of all lines are marked according to the position and the direction of the grid in OriImg.

Then, in step S<b>07</b> and S<b>08</b>, defining virtual grid points in a replaced-image, and comparing the virtual grid points in this replaced-image with the intersection points in OriImg, and the corresponding relation is performed.

Then, in step S<b>09</b> and S<b>10</b>, applying the affine transform of graph theory in above corresponding relation, so that the replaced-image was skewed in the same direction with OriImg, and applying the shading value SV in this skewed image of the replaced image.

Finally, as in step S<b>11</b>, when all of the blocks of the sample clothes are replaced by the same method, the image replacing and rebuilding process is finished.

As a result, designers can use the automatic cloth select and design system according to the embodiment of the present invention to design clothes, and to replace the different color and grain materials. Furthermore, the design time will be shortened, and reduce the resources wasted.

Although the present invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment disclosed herein. Those who are skilled in this technology can still make various alterations and modifications without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention shall be defined and protected by the following claims and their equivalents.